A Beginner's Guide to the Belgic Confession of Faith

Among the great confessional documents of the Protestant Reformation, the Belgic Confession stands out for its clarity, its comprehensiveness, and the remarkable story of the man who wrote it. Produced in 1561 in the dangerous world of the Spanish-ruled Low Countries, it has shaped the faith of Reformed Christians for over four and a half centuries.

What Is the Belgic Confession?

The Belgic Confession is a confession of faith containing 37 articles that cover the full range of Reformed Christian doctrine — from the nature of God and the authority of Scripture, to salvation, the church, the sacraments, and the last things. It was written in French by Guido de Brès, a Reformed minister in the Spanish Netherlands, and quickly became the doctrinal standard of the Reformed churches in what is now Belgium and the Netherlands.

Why Was It Written?

De Brès wrote the confession with a specific and urgent purpose: to defend the Reformed believers from accusations of sedition and rebellion. The Spanish authorities under Philip II were persecuting Protestant Christians across the Low Countries. De Brès wanted to show that these believers were not dangerous troublemakers but faithful Christians who held to the ancient teachings of the apostles and the early church. In 1561 he threw a copy of the confession over the castle walls at Doornik, hoping it would reach the king.

The Shape of the Confession

The 37 articles move systematically through the Christian faith. Articles 1–11 cover God, Scripture, and creation. Articles 12–15 address humanity, the fall, and original sin. Articles 16–26 treat election, redemption, faith, justification, and sanctification. Articles 27–35 define the church, its marks, its government, and the sacraments. The final two articles address civil government and the last judgment.

The Three Forms of Unity

The Belgic Confession became one of the Three Forms of Unity — the confessional standards of the Dutch Reformed tradition — alongside the Heidelberg Catechism (1563) and the Canons of Dort (1619). These three documents together define the doctrinal identity of many Reformed denominations including the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the United Reformed Churches.

Guido de Brès was arrested and executed in 1567, just six years after writing his confession. He died confident in the faith he had set down on paper — a faith that has continued to form, instruct, and strengthen Reformed Christians around the world ever since.